String closure affixing machine



Feb. 8, 1949. s. KILINSKI 2,461,327

' STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING} MACHINE Filed 001:. 12, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR Feb. 8, 1949. s, K $K I 2,461,327

STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR 17 W (P mmwuwm A )ORNEYS Feb. 8, 1949. s. KlLlNSKl 2,461,327

' STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE I Filed Oct 12, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet aINVENTOR AX'ITORNEYS Feb. 8,

s. KlLlNSKl 2,461,327

STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1944 5 Sheets-s 4aauumumgmlm ENTo STRING CLOSURE AFFIXING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1944 5Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 8, 1949 PATENT OFFICE ST-RINGCLOSURE AFFIXING MACHIN E Stanley Kilinslri, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignorto Baltimore Paper Company, Kansas City, Mo., a

corporation of Missouri Application Octcber r2, 1

.10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for attaching button and stringiastenings to wrappers and similar articles.

In machines for attaching button and string fastenings, a paper or fiberbutton is spaced from the wrapper or other sheet material to which it isto be attached by a washer; and the button and washer are secured inplace by means of an eyelet or grommet which is used also to anchor oneend of a string. On articles having double button and string fastenings,the string wraps around the second button on another part ofthe'articl-e and is usually wrapped back and forth between the twobuttons. On single button iastenings, the string passes around thepackage and the free end is wrapped around the button after being pulledtight around the package.

It an object of this invention to provide an improved machine of thecharacter described, more particularly to provide a machine thatwill-connect diiferent lengths of string to the .button. The string issupplied from :aspool 'or'o'ther source by a threader that moves the endof the string into position to be gripped under the button when theeyelet or grommet is secured in place. The threader then moves away andm asures out'a predetermined length, of string which is automaticallycut off and the operation repeated for the next button fastening.

In machines of the prior art the string was always out to the samelength by shears which were located in a fixed position on the machine.One feature of th s invention relates to a construction by which theshears for cutting the string. are always at the same location on themachine, but

length of string between the eyelet connectechanism and the shears .canbe quickly and conveniently changed over a wide range. On packages suchas are used for wrapping remnants in department stores, the length ofstring desired may be relatively short, but on moving picture reels thathave a paper strip wound around and outside 05, protection, a very longstring is neces- This machine can be used for different of wrappinghaving various lengths ofistring nout changing any of themechanism'other g1 that determine the course he after .it leaves thethreader.

Another object of the invention is to provide cl of the characterindicated with a F1136 der that moves along a curved path. Such a forthe threads makes it possible to conveni ntly control the length ofstring that is pulled out from the threader by locating abutmeritsinside of the curve along which the end of 944, Serial No. 558,443

the threader travels. The tendency of the' string is to move inward andform a chord across, the are along which the end of the threadertravels. Abutment means located just inside this arc or curved path canbe used to break up the course of the string into any number of shortchords the total combined lengths of which-approximate the length of thecurved path along which the thread-' or moves.

Another feature of the invention relates tosimple cam-operated mechanism.for causing a threader to move along a straightlline or an am having avery long radius of curvature during the latter part of the travel ofthe threader. This permits the threader to move the string into positionfor cooperation with the eyelet or grommet setting mechanism along asubstantially (straight path even though the course of the threader asit measuresout the string is along a path of comparatively short radiusof curvature.

ther objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or bepointed out :as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings, forming a part hereof, in which like referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts in all 'the'views;

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa machine made in accordance with thisinvention for attaching button and string iasteni-n'gs with strings ofdifferent length.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the mechanism forattaching the button and string to a wrapper, envelope, or other articleby means of an eyelet or grommet.

Figure .3 is an elevation of a portion of the mechanism illustrated inFigure 2,?but in a 'difierent position. r

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with a gear shown iii-sectionand with-the string engaging member in a different position. 7

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the gear and cam mechanism of Figures 3and 4 when viewed from the right.

Figure 6 is aeperspective view of the back of the machine shown inFigure Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portionof the mechanism shown a in Figure 6 but viewed from a diiTerenta-ngle.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the cammechanism for controlling the final part of the movement of thethreader.

Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a p rtion. ofithe structureshown in Figure '6.

The machine shown inFigure 1 includes various roll mechanisms .20 forfeeding strips from which buttons and washers are punched automaticallyin a position to cooperate with eyelet or grommet attaching mechanismdesignated generally by the reference character 2!. The eyelets are fedfrom a container 22 having feed mechanism connected with a drive shaftof the machine by a belt 23.

Power for operating the machine is supplied to a drive shaft 24 througha pul1ey25. A crankarm 26 is connected to one end of a shaft 21 which isdriven from the pulley 25 through bevel gears 28, one of which is keyedto the drive shaft 24. The crank-arm 26 is connected by a link 30 to ablock 3! fastened to a die 32 which slides in bearings 33.

The construction of the apparatus for punching the buttons from stripsof paper or other sheet material, and for feeding these strips, will notbe described since it is not necessary for a complete understandin ofthis invention. Such apparatus is illustrated in Trenchard Patent No.1,522,760, issued January 13, 1925. This invention is an improvement onthe machine illustrated in the Trenchard patent, and in the earlierTrenchard Patent No. 1,258,829, issued. March 12, 1918.

The portion of these earlier machines that is important in connectionwith the present invention is illustrated in detail in Figures 2 to 5. Adie 34 cooperates with the die 32 and is operated from the main driveshaft 24 through mechanism similar to the parts 26-33 of Figure 1. Thesemechanisms cause the dies 34 and 32 to be brought together once for eachrevolution Of the main shaft 24. Further means are provided forautomatically'feeding an eyelet 36 to the machine and positioning theeyelet upon a slidable pin 3'! which is loosely mounted in a centrallybored hole in the die 32. The pin 31 is held, when uncontrolled," in theextended position shown in Figure 2, by a spring 38. For the purpose ofthis application. the eyelet feeding and button and washer forming meansmay be disregarded and attention confined to the means for adding thestring to the complete combination of button, washer and wrapper, orother sheet material to which the button and string fastening is to beapplied.

The attachment of the string to the wrapper or other sheet material, maybe effected by looping the string around the pin 31 before the dies havebeen brought together to upset the eyelet.

It will readily be observed how this is effected when the reinforcingwasher 39 is placed upon the die 34, as shown in Figure 2, and theeyelet 36 and fastening washer 40 are placed upon the pin 31 of the die'32 before the' dies are caused to approach each other. If the wrapper orother sheet member be then inserted between the dies, and the dies becaused to come together, then the string 42 which has been previouslywound upon the pin 31 is caught between the sheet material and thereinforcing washer 46 and firmly held there by the flanges of the eyelet36. g V

The means for wrapping the strin 42 around the pin 31 comprise a hollowgear 46 mounted in a suitable housing and rotated concentrically aboutthe pin 31. The opening through the gear 46 is of sufiicient size topermit the die 32 to pass therethrough. This gear is rotated from a jackshaft 35 by a gear 41 which drives the hollow gear 46 through an idler,not illustrated, and the gears are preferably of such size that thehollow gear 46 rotates at a greater angular speed than the jack shaft35. The gear 46, with its associated parts, will hereinafter be termedthe looper, and the looper preferably makes four revolutions to onerevolution of the jack shaft 35. Power is supplied to the jack shaft 35by a chain drive 48 from the main drive shaft 25 (Figure 6) at aone-to-one speed ratio.

Referring again to Figures 2-5, means are provided on the gear 46 forgrasping the end of the string 42. This string-grasping means comprisesa substantially U-shaped member 49 which is urged against the recessedface of the gear 66 by springs 50 (Figure 4), but which is adapted to beextended from the face of the gear in the proper moment when it is tograsp the end of the string 42.

The parallel sides of this Ushaped member 46 extends through the gear 46and are fixed to a ring 5! that has a cam face 52 on its side away fromthe gear 46. The ring 5! is held away from the gear 46 by the springs 56and its movement is limited by the U-shaped member 49 which can be movedno further by the springs after it enters the recess in the face of gear46, as shown in Figure 4. When the end of the string is placed betweenthe U-shaped member 49 and the left hand face of the gear 46. and themember 49 has moved in against the face of the gear, the string isfirmly gripped.

Means are provided to control the movement of the U-shaped member 49into and out of contact with the side of the gear 46 for the purpose ofthreading the string 49 into position to be gripped by member 49. Thismeans comprises an abutment 54 that is connected with the end of a lever55. The lever 55 contacts with a cam 55 on the jack shaft 35. This cam56 causes the abutment 54 to move into the path of the cam face 52 ofthe ring 5! once for every revolution of the jack shaft 35. This meansthat the abutment 54 moves into the path of the cam face 52 once inevery four revolutions of the looper. The abutment 54 causes the camface 52 to displace the ring 5| toward the left in Figures 2 to 4, andto move the U-shaped member 56 into the position shown in Figure 2 sothat a device com-- prising a threader 59 can insert the end of thestring 42 into the space between the member 46 and the left hand face ofthe hollow gear 46.

After the end of the string 42 has been gripped by the looper, thethreader 59 moves away from the looper mechanism and thread is drawn outthrough a guide 66 from a spool of string 62, shown in Figure 6.

The threader has a head to which the leader line of reference character56 leads in the various figures of the drawing, and has a radiallyextending portion or support comprising an arm 64 with a hub 65 securedto an oscillating shaft 66. The head 56 is located on one side of thearm 64 and is thus offset from the arm 64 in a direction parallel to theaxis of shaft 66. The oscillating shaft 66 is rocked back and forth by apinion 68 (Figure 7) that meshes with a rack 70 which slides in abearing blocl: H (Figure 6) mounted on a bracket '12 which is free tooscillate on the shaft 56.

The rack bar H! is connected at its upper end to a crank pin I4 securedto a crank T5 but adjustable lengthwise along a slot in the crank "i5for regulating the length of the stroke of the rack bar 16. The crank 15is rigidly secured to one end of the main drive shaft 24 which is drivenby the, pulley 25. It will be evident that this mechanism causes thethreader arm 54 to rotate through an angle and back again to itsstarting position during each revolution of the drive shaft 24.

that is'held by the loeper is indicated by the'reh erence character 49;The: threader head 59" from which the-string- 4'2 extends is positionedbeyond the: cutter means or" shears 98 that sever: the

string.

As: the thr'eader arm: 64 moves the threader head" 59A along a circularcourse aboutthe axis" of th-e' shaft iifi asa c'entergthe string fl'willtend to--move-inwarci and form ach'ord'of the arcuate th'reader pathunless the string strikes-againstobst'ru'ctions that prevent it frommoving inward.- If-enough such obstructions or abutments are provided"just insidethe path of moverrientof" the threader head- 59: the-- courseof the string will comprise a series or short chords-thatwillapproximate the circular path of the threade'r headin'total-length.

A plate 82;.which is preferably circular; is rig 1 idly-fastened tothe'frame of'themachine; and

there are radialarms 8 attached to the plate 82"b'y bolts-'85;These-boltsthread into openings inth e plate 82. The arms 86 arepreferably slotted so that they can be adjusted lengthwise. Ifarlonger-adj'ustmentis required than can be obtained fromthe slot, thebolts 85 canbe inserted in holes tfi n'earer the center of the plate 82.

At the outer ends of-the arms 84- there are abutments comprising pins 81that extend out from the arms- 8 far' enough to contact the string -42when it moves inward fr'om the circular pathtraversed by the head 59 fthe threader. When it is desired to have along length ofstring;

a large number of arms 34 are used and they are ad-ju'sted to extend farenough out-from the plate 82 so that the abutments or pins 8'! are-"onthe insideof the curved path followed by the thread er head-59 andas-clo'se 'as possible to the path with'outactually obstructing themovement'ofjthe tnreaderhead. This condition is shown-in'Fig ure':6"which illustratesithe machine-adjusted to:

measure outthe longest length of strint, possible. The way in whichthe'iength of string is increased' by use" of more of the arms 85 isbrought: out gra hically Figure 9 wherethe:

greater string-1 length obtainedby using. three more: armsflltisindicated in dotted-line's.

When a shorter length oi-stringds wanted; the armsffii are movedinwardto decrease their radial extent; or? if still i shorter 'length of"string is wanted; some or most of the 'arm'sB i are-removedfromsthermacninen Figure 9 shows the lengthof string that will beobtained with only 'two 'of'the" armsfi lattached'to the plate 82; Inthe particularmach'ine illustrated, the shortbotton'i arm' 8d isalways'used in order to prevent the initialrunof string'from the looper inemberifi from strik'-- in'g "against other parts of the: mechanism under themachine; At'least oneother arm '84 near'thecutter or shear mechanism 95is desirable in order to have: the final run of 'stringenter the shearmechanism Qil at the proper angle. Wit-h just twoarms 8 in' thelocationshown in Fiure 'l, theimach-ine i's adjusted-to cut one'of thesnortestlengths of string; The specific structure illustratedi'inxthedrawing-man be adjusted to cut string of anyz'len'gthiiromt30 to 54inches in length; but it will beev-ident that otherreinbodiment'softhe'invention can be eonstructedto pro videistringarlengthsswithirrdifferent :rangess The shears 96 that cut the string are" best" Snowman:Figure-'7' Tl'i'eyinclude a lower blade" 92 that islrigidly secured to'ahead 93. This head is ias't'ene'd to'an arm 9'4 by'screws 95ithat extcndthrough a} slot so as to permit adjustment of the lengthofithe shears.The arm Q' i ha's' a clamp" 96 at itslower end and is fastened to asquare'bar 'i 'l by this clamp" 96.

The -bar" 9 E cylindrical end' portions in beari-n'gs fii tthat areconnected to the stationary frame of'the machine. The'bar 9? is rockedin these bearings by a crank iii?! fastened to the uppers-end ofthe'b'a'r 9?; This crank I has'a pinliilconnected'by' a link I02 with alever I03 that rocks about a fulcrum I05 supported from the main frame.A spring I06 at the rearward end of the lever I03 is anchored to themain" frame by a stud I01 and holds a roller I98 at the forward end ofthe lever I53 in contact with a camIOBin the shaft 2 3.

The shears 86 include also a movable blade III that rocks. on a pivotH2. The blade III is held-' in an open: position, as shown in Figure-'7,by spring H32 There is an integral extension IIlthat projects downwardfrom the movable I I I- into a position adjacent an abutment I'Iti'Brackets I'll-secure the abutment M5 to the frame of the: machine.

Each revolution of the'cam I89 rocks the square bar ."Q'WandmoVes theshears -99 toward the right infFi'gure'YL This movement causes theextension iM tostrike the abutment Ilt and move the upper-blade III;downward to close the shears 99- clip the string 42" at a point thatleaves [3 just therigh't amount of string extending from the threaderfor cooperation with the looper at the end of the return movement of thethreader.

Figuresfi and-9 show the threader construction. The head 59 is connectedto the arm 64 by a pivot H9. The rearward end of the head 5'? isconnected by a link I 2! to one end of a rocker arm I22 that oscillatesabout a pivot !23carried by the'arm 64 near its hub. A. cam followercomprising a roller I25 on one end of the-rocker arm I22 rides up on afixed cam I26 as the threader approaches the looper mechanism:- The camI26 is connected with the 'mai frame of the machine.

As the roller I25 moves up on the cam I26, thearm I22 isrocked clockwisein Figure 8, and this-motion is transmitted through the link I2I tothethreader head 59. The rocking movement of the head 59 as its pivot IIGswings in an arc causes --the' upper end of the head 55, from which thestring extends, to move along a straight line; or'curve having a longradius of curvature, depending upon the shape of the cam I28; A springI28 tensioned between the end of the arm 64 and the rearward portion ofthehead 59' moves the rocker arm I22 and head 59 back into'their'original position as the arm64 swings away from the loopermechanism and the-cam follower I25 1eaves the cam I26.

This cam actuated movement of the head 59 makes it possible to have theend of the string enter th'elooper along a straight or substantiallystraight line without requiring that the arm 54 be of great length. Inthe illustrated embodiment of the invention, the arm IE6 is short enoughtO-swingunder a machine that has a low frame; the typeof machine withwhich the operator is seated while at work. 7

The course'of the string is shown in Figures 6' and-8f; From the-spool52 the string izvpasses' up behind the plate -82 and comes through" anopening I39 in the center of the plate. The string then passes through atubular guide |3l (Figure 8) that extends through the threader arm 6d.The tubular guide l3! extends out far enough to permit the string 42 topass in front of the rocker arm l22. A short distance beyond the tubularguide l3l, the string enters another tubular guide I32 which extendssubstantially the entire length of the threader arm 64. At the outer endof the threader arm the string 42 passes fromthe guide I32 to thethreader head 59 in which it is gripped between the side of the threaderhead 59 and a spring I34. This spring and the side of the threader headcomprise the uide 60.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, but various changes and modifications can be made, and somefeatures of the invention can be used without others Without departingfrom the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for attaching a string to a sheet article, looperapparatus for holding an end of the string, fastening means for securingthe end of the string to the article at a predetermined location, athreader that moves toward the looper to deliver the end of the stringand then away from the looper to draw out a length of string,

said threader comprising a radially-extending 5:

portion and a head that moves along a curved path and that is ofisetfrom the radially-extending portion in a direction at an angle to theplane of said curved path, string-abutment means on the inside of thecurved path of the threader head and in position to contact the stringas said string moves inward as a chord of the curved path, and a shearfor cutting the string.

2. Apparatus including in combination fastening means for connecting anend of a string with n a sheet article, a threader including a supportand a head that is oiiset from the support and that moves along a curvedpath to deliver an end of string to the fastening means and then awayfrom said fastening means along the curved Path to draw out a length ofstring, an abutment on the inside of the curved path that prevents thestring from maintaining a straight run from the fastening means to thethreader head as the threader head moves away from the fastening means,and a support on which the abutment is adjustable toward and from thepath followed by the threader head.

3. The combination with a machine that attaches an eyelet to a sheetarticle and secures the end of a piece of string to the article by saideyelet, of a threader that delivers the end of string to the region ofthe eyelet for the connecting operation, and supporting means on whichthe threader travels about an axis and along a curved path to draw out alength of string after the end is secured to the article by said eyelet,said threader including a radiallyextending portion and a head oifsetfrom the radially-extending portion in a direction parallel to the axisof the curved path-along which the threader travels.

4. Apparatus comprising fastening means for connecting an end of stringto an article, a threader having an ofiset head that moves along acurved path to deliver an endof string to the fastening means and thenmoves away from said fastening means along the curved path to draw out alength of string, an abutment on the inside or the curved path alongwhich the threader headtravels, an arm by which the abutment issupported, and adjustable means for holding the arm in differentpositions to locate the abutment in position to be struck by the stringwhen the string has shifted into different chord positions as thethreader head travels along its curved path away from the fasteningmeans.

5. The combination with apparatus for attaching an end of string to anarticle and then cutting the string at a distance from said article,

of means for measuring out a predetermined and adjustable length ofstring that the apparatus will cut oif for each article, said meanscomprising a support that moves an offset threader head of the apparatusalong a curved path away from the region where the end of the string isattached to the article, a plurality of arms, pins extending from thearms and across the plane of the curved path that is followed by thethreader head and into position to be struck by the string so that thecourse of the string is held to a broken line comprising a number ofchords as the threader head travels along its curved path, supportingmeans for the arms, and devices for adjusting the arms to change thedistance of the pins from the path of the threader head and thus controlthe length of string included in the total number of said chords.

6. A string-attaching machine including apparatus at a fixed station forfastening the end of a string to an article, a threader that deliversthe end of the string to the fastening apparatus and then moves awayfrom the fastening apparatus and back to a fixed location, an abutmentabout which the string passes and into contact with which the string isdrawn by the threader, and adjustable means for changing the position ofsaid abutment and thereby altering the length of string between thefastening apparatus and the threader when the threader is in itsretracted location.

'7. The combination with apparatus at a fixed station for attachingstring to an article, of a threader that carries an end of string intoposition to be operated upon by said apparatus and then moves away fromthe attaching apparatus to draw out a length of string, cutting means ata fixed'location from the attaching means for cutting off the length ofstring attached to the article, and measuring means for determining thelength of string between the article and the cutting means at the timethe string is out, said measuring means including an arm, an abutment onthe arm for contact with the string, and a connection from which saidabutment is supported, the connection being adjustable to change theposition of the abutment and the resulting length of the string.

8. A machine for connecting predetermined lengths of string to articles,said machine including attaching apparatus that connects a free end of astring to the article while the string is connected to a ball or othersource of supply, cutter means for severing the string from the supplysource, a threader supported for movement between the attachingapparatus and the cutter means for moving the string to the cuttermeans, abutment means for determining the length of string between thecutter means and the article at the time the string is severed and meansfor adjusting said abutment means to change said length of string.

9. A machine for attaching string to articles, said machine includingfastening apparatus that securesthe string to thearticle, a threaderhead.

for successively supplying an end of a string to said fasteningapparatus, an arm on which the threader head is carried, a shaft bywhich the arm is supported, operating mechanism for oscillating the armabout the axis of the shaft to shift the threader head along a curvedpath toward and from the fastening apparatus, a cutter for severing thestring near the threader head when the threader head is away from thefastening apparatus, and cam means for moving the threader head withrespect to the arm to carry the threader head into an operative relationwith the fastening apparatus at one end of each oscillation of the arm.

10. The combination of fastening apparatus for securing an end of astring to a paper or other sheet article, a looper for holding thestring while it is acted upon by the fastening apparatus, a threader fordelivering the end of the string to the looper and then pulling out alength of string on the return movement, a pivot about which thethreader has a limited rocking movement, a shaft, a crank arm angularlymovable about the shaft and carrying said pivot near its outer end,operating mechanism for moving the arm angularly about the axis of theshaft as a center, a cam and a cam follower, one of which is relativelyfixed and the other of which is car REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS are of record in the Number Name Date 519,075Spencer May 1, 1894 383,223 McGrath Mar. 31, 1906 1,001,445 RichardsonAug. 21, 1911 1,370,551 Novick Mar. 28, 1921 2,075,672 Stark Mar. 30,1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,978 Great Britain 1913

